In the small Aboriginal community of Cherbourg, located three hours north-west of Brisbane, residents are struggling with contaminated water supplies that have led to health issues amongst children. Parents like Samuel Little spend substantial amounts on bottled water, yet many report illnesses related to the local water quality, which has caused frequent school absences due to health problems such as skin rashes and diarrhoea.

For the past month, residents have had to boil their water for consumption and preparation of baby formula, due to severe contamination resulting from heavy rainfall that has washed bacteria-laden runoff into the creek that supplies their water. The town's aging water treatment plant, which has been in operation for 65 years, has been unable to cope with the increased demand and contamination, highlighting long-standing infrastructure issues in the community.

In response to this crisis, Cherbourg locals are turning to innovative technologies that allow them to extract water from humidity in the air, illustrating the desperation and resourcefulness of residents facing ongoing challenges while they wait for a $26 million investment in a new, efficient water treatment facility. This situation underscores broader systemic issues regarding access to clean water in Aboriginal communities and their ongoing struggle for basic rights.